Changes for The Better
by goldgungirls
Summary: Draco is tired of being over shadowed by his father Lucius Malfoy, This year he is going into his 6th year and he wants to make a diffrent impression amongst his peers. Who else to help him but the famous, Harry Potter?


**Title: Changes for the Better**

**Chapter: 1 A New Begining**

** _The begining starts off in Draco's POV._ **

The one thing Draco hated most was when Crabbe and Goyle followed him around constantly. It made himself looked upon as a leader, but he knew he wasn't. Everything that brought him to this day was because of his father, Lucius. Over the summer he had spent most of his time in his room studying at the Malfoy Mansion. Usually the only time he was caught studying was during the school year when you really don't have a choice to, but obviously things haven't been the same at home. Most of the things he had to learn were 'Advanced Dark Magic' from musty old spell books that could not be found in Flourish and Blotts. Lucius had been determined to bring Draco right into Voldemort's inner circle; he had even attempted to teach Draco some of the Dark Lord's secrets. Draco inwardly groaned at the prospect of going to Hogwarts. He felt over shadowed by his father and often times dreamed of becoming his own person in the coming year.

Draco shuffled his books into a bag that hung from the edge of the wooden chair he was sitting on as he heard the muffled sounds of his mother and father arguing at each other on their way down stairs.

Lucius took hold of the stair railing as he made his way near Draco's Bedroom.

"He must learn to create – " The spoken words of the sleek Malfoy were broken off by his wife, Narcissa.

"Lucius Malfoy! Give the boy a break, you have put so much pressure on him this summer."

"It's not my fault he cannot comprehend the material I give him quick enough."

Draco turned his attention to elegantly carved mahogany door where his father stood mumbling under his breath. Draco wanted to know what his father was saying but there was a hesitation to ask so he just stared at his presence.

"I will drop you off at the knight bus at a quarter to 12, be ready by then."

As his father left the room Draco looked down at the parchment in front of him that had included a list of what he needed to pack for his year at Hogwarts, there were still a few things he needed but he knew he could get them in the morning in 'Diagon Alley'. He rolled up the parchment and placed it inside a pocket of his robe.

* * *

Making sure he had everything ready for his return to Hogwarts, had turned out harder than expected. He had most of what he needed already packed in his trunk except a few things, including his wand. Harry searched his room dozens of times, retracing his steps mumbling things to himself. "Where did I put my wand? It was in my pocket. I could have sworn. Wait!" Harry looked in his nightstand drawer. "Darn.."

The glimpse of light in the hallway caught Harry's attention. "Not now.." He heard footsteps coming toward his bedroom , that's when a familiar round faced boy stood under the awning of his door.

"What are you up to so late?"

"None of your business, Dudley." Harry shot a look at his cousin and was about to close the door on him when the blonde headed boy pulled out an eleven-inch holly wand from his flannel robe pocket "Looking for this now are you?"

"Give it here Dudley!" Harry reached his hand out, Dudley teasingly raising his hand higher so he could not reach it.

"Dudley…"

"Now I wonder what this silly old thing can do … " Dudley smirked as he pretended like he was doing 'magic'.

Dudley bent over to pick up the wand as it fell to the ground, when the painful feeling of Harry's foot stopped him over his fingers. "Harry!"

Harry heard noises from Vernon and Petunia's bedroom as he grabbed his belongings as quickly as possible and made his way out of the Dursley's home.

He took a few deep breaths as he walked along the side of the street walking as fast as he could to Privet Drive where he found the street curb he had been at last time he took the Knight Bus. Eyeing the cold damp curb he leaned backwards holding himself up with his arm and dropped, sitting down waiting for the Knight bus to arrive.

Harry had laid his head over his shoulder, allowing the strands of his shaggy raven hair to flow over his face as he started to recollect some of the memory's he had from the summer. He remembered taking Apparation lessons with Dumbldore and soon after at the ministry he had taken and passed the test the moment he turned 17. Suddenly, the Knight Bus appeared, screeching in the night. Stay Shunpike stepped off the bus and commenced to greet the new passengers. Harry stepped onto the bus and took a seat on one of the beds toward the front.

"Where to?" Stan Shunpike asked him, pulling Harry out of his recollections.

"Err --- Diagon Alley, I suppose" he said. He hadn't even thought about where he was going.

"All 'righ' " Stan Shunpike replied "Just one more stop, someone in Wiltshire just flagged us down. Then its off' ta Diagon Alley.

Harry nodded mutely and leaned against the glass watching as the scenery blurred impossible by him.

"Welcome to the Knight ---"

"Yeah, yeah get on with it, here's the money" said a cold sneering boy. Harry raised his head from the window in time to see Draco Malfoy step onto the bus.

"Potter …" Draco murmured as he walked himself to the back of the Knight Bus.

"Malfoy." When the words came from him he felt a bit weak.

Harry turned to see Malfoy sitting upright on one of the beds wandering off.

* * *

He could feel the deep-set emerald eyes starring at him straight in the back, he just wanted to ignore him but it seemed harder to do than as said. Draco turned around to see Harry quickly turn the opposite direction of him.

Draco simply just kept his interest towards the raven-haired Gryffindor, who was obviously trying to get rid of the tension between them. He watched Harry nearly trip over his own trunk, as if he was nervous or something. The bus came to a halt, which caused Harry to fly back to the back of the bus loosing grip over his stability to keep himself up. Draco paused for a brief second as Harry's body was tumbled on top of him. No words came from either one of them.

"Here we are, the Leaky Cauldron" Shunpike had broken the contact between the two boys as they both headed for their leave of the Knight Bus.

As he carried his belongings he turned around to find Harry blankly looking in his direction.

"What's so amusing Potter?"

Harry gave a slight cough and shook his head mumbling in between words "Nothing, nothing, its nothing"

Draco arched his brow and headed towards the Leaky Cauldron. "I'd like to have a room for the night please?" he said. Just then Harry appeared at his shoulder. "I'd like to have a room as well, Tom" he said.

When Tom heard this, his face slid from a happy grinning face to one of almost pretend sadness. "Soo...sorry sirs. But there's only one room left...perhaps you will share...?" he asked almost disbelieving himself. Malfoy looked affronted. "Excuse me? I will not share a room with...with...him...!"

* * *

Harry as well raised his voice at what Tom had spoken, or more like stuttered. But he had stopped himself to think about it, noticing that it wouldn't be so bad, you know if they didn't end up dueling in the middle of the Leaky Cauldron. He stood there looking at Tom and Draco bicker over the room situation for a good minute or two and broke the argument between them. "Are you absolutely sure there are no more rooms available at this time?" Harry had calmed his voice, trying to negotiate with the stout bald-headed man. "I'm sorry Mr. Potter, but I am sure." Harry let out a deep sigh, "Then… I guess I will be taking the room". Harry could tell Draco was in disbelief, he probably had thought Harry would give in and give Draco the room. There was a long pause between them, Draco wore a baffled face, "Fine Potter. I'm sure your mum and dad wouldn't approve you sleeping with a Malfoy anyway." Harry was absolutely agitated with Draco and wanted to just strangle him right then and there, but then he had seen Draco apply a sorrowful expression and just stood they're waiting for Draco to do something. But Draco just left the Leaky Cauldron without a single word.

Harry watched Draco take his leave and dragged his trunk up the grubby old stairs to his room.

* * *

Draco dragged his trunk out of the Leaky Cauldron, feeling a mixture of hate, spite and surprisingly...sadness. He dumped the trunk under the awning of the Leaky Cauldron and sat on it dejectedly. The weather turned gloomy-- to match his mood-- and soon began to rain. The awning didn't provide any protection against the rain, so Draco had to repeatedly brush the rain out of his eyes. Finally, he gave up trying to brush the rain out of his eyes and decided to come back in. Inside, Harry had been waiting for him-- sitting on one of the stools, trying to seem interested in The Daily Prophet but he couldn't seem to focus. Draco smiled a small, wavering sort of smile and dropped his trunk next to another stool. Just then, Tom came in. "So what will it be boys?" Draco watched Harry put down the Daily Prophet as he had casually responded "hot chocolate". Draco ignored the man and skimmed the paper on the table in front of Harry and himself. "Nothing interesting" he muttered, soft enough for no one to hear.

There had been an awkward silence between the two boys since Tom had left for some hot cocoa. There were moments where Harry would tap the leg of the table that would absolutely annoy the hell out of Draco. But Draco would just sit there and say nothing. Then Tom had finally returned and places a cup of hot cocoa in front of Harry. As Tom walked away Harry slid the heated drink toward Draco, oh the aroma was so sweet. The slick blonde headed boy brought the cup to his lips but before taking a sip he placed it in front of him, "You don't have to be nice to me, Potter".

Harry shrugged. "Fine with me, then" He then reached for the Quidditch section of the Daily Prophet and started to read about the latest Quidditch team to make the league. After a few moments of hesitation, Draco shrugged as well and took the steaming cup of hot cocoa. It warmed his shivering cold body and he breathed a sigh of contentment. "Soo..." said Harry trying to make conversation, now that he had finished the article, "What team do you support?" he said inquiring about Quidditch. Draco grinned sheepishly, slightly dazed by the sweetness of the cocoa. "I don't really like Quidditch you know," he said. "Only went on the team 'cause I wanted to get you jealous" Draco shook himself but couldn't get out of his weird, crazy stupor. Had Tom drugged the cocoa or something?...

Harry wore a puzzled face and let his jaw drop in awe. "You – you what?". Draco took a long sip of his drink, trying to take as long as possible hoping that Harry would drop the subject, but it was no use. "I always wanted to fly like you do, your technique is brilliant" Draco shrugged and looked down at his silver-outline silk robe . "I guess I'm the one who ended up being .. jealous." The last words kept ringing in Draco's head. What did I just say? – Oh my god. I can't believe I – He let his thoughts fall and bit down on his lower lip.

"Your wrong, Malfoy." Harry's expression was not something to be amused of, it was straight out dead serious. "I always thought you were better at Quidditch than me. Most of the time the only reason I went onto the pitch was to see your face when I caught the snitch."

"And what made you so sure you would be the one to catch that wretched thing?"

No words came from the boy sitting on the opposite side of him, just a smirk.

Malfoy continued on sipping the cocoa. Part of him shouted to stop drinking but a bigger part of him screamed for more of the sweet drink. What was wrong with him? Harry grinned. Malfoy grinned back. Harry started off again, "Remember when..." and Malfoy would nod his head in agreement or disagreement. They must have been memorializing for a really long time because the aroma of herbal tea had left the room and not many seats were occupied around them.

"And then you --- " The wandering looks of Draco had stopped Harry from finishing his sentence. "You ok Draco?"

It was a few seconds until Draco brought his attention back to Harry, "Oh … yeah of course, just it's getting late."

The emerald eyes of Harry had looked above Draco to where a clock hung against a bent nail on the beige wall.

"Yeah, are you going to stay?"

Draco nodded, "I suppose so..."

Harry and Draco made their way up the stairs of the Leaky Cauldron and made their way to room number 16; their number. Harry grabbed the knob, turned it, and opened it to reveal one bed. Draco and Harry were too tired to go talk to Tom again so Harry motioned for Draco to take the bed. "It's alright, I'll sleep on the floor." he said. Draco's face flickered, "No, no I'll take the floor, you take the bed" he said. Harry put a hand on his shoulder. "It's ok" he said. "It doesn't really matter anyway." after an uncomfortable silence, Harry finally took his hand off Draco's shoulder and grabbed a blanket and spread it on the floor. He then straightened his pillow on the ground and pretended immediately drop off to sleep. Draco finally lay down on the bed and said quietly, "Thanks, Harry". Harry grunted convincingly and not too long afterwards, the two boys had fallen asleep.

* * *

Harry awoke to Draco's settled eyes on him. "You got an owl." the words from the bed-headed blonde were mumbled between a yawn.

Harry stretched out his arms toward the nightstand, which had his oval shaped, black-rimed glasses on them. Placing his glasses over his emerald eyes started to clear up the blurred vision. "Do you have any idea what time it is?"

"It's not my fault your owl insisted on waking me up to give you well --- this, so early in the morning." Draco handed Harry a parchment that was once his hand as he walked off to the bathroom.

As Harry watched Malfoy leave his sight he opened the parchment that was written in fancy lettering, right away he knew it was from Hermione.

Harry,

Ron and I will meet up with you at Fred and George's Joke shop around noon. They have done some re-decorating and want us to be the first to see. After, I suppose we will finish getting all of our supplies for school, before we head off to the Hogwart's Express.

Sincerely,

Hermione

Harry rolled up the parchment and set it on the nightstand near the bed. He pulled out his wand from his pocket as he annunciated a spell that appeared to neaten up the room.

He looked over at the clock. "Malfoy, it's been half an hour, you think you can hurry up?" Just as Harry finished shouting across the room Draco appeared in front of the bathroom door. His presence appeared to be quite elegant, his robes where made from the finest silk in town, and oh' his hair was absolutely marvelous the boy's blonde bangs fell right across the left side of his face still keeping his shimmering silver eyes visible. Wait what am I saying? Did I just compliment Malfoy? Draco Malfoy – The name Draco kept repeating itself in his head. He had always thought of the slytherin as Malfoy, and that's it, but the thought of Draco – change his whole perspective on the boy.

Harry shook his and nodded as he slipped into the bathroom and dressed as quickly as possible. He had dressed in his ordinary black robes...which need lengthening, he reminded himself. He had to go visit Madam Milikan's. Draco seemed to be staring at him so Harry tried to not notice. But it was hard, and he had to fight the urge to touch Draco's silvery hair. "Well," he said, "Must go off to buy books and supplies..." he left the sentence hanging. Draco answered, "Ah, yes me too... and they both walked out of the room, fighting the temptation to get closer but walked a polite distance apart instead. At breakfast, they ate opposite each other, with an awkward silence between them. Harry started on reading the Quidditch section of the Daily Prophet again while Draco flipped through the rest of the contents. As both of the boys finished their breakfast they gave each other a brief look and separated outside.

Harry wondered the pebble-stone floor of Diagon Alley as he made his way toward the Joke shop. Some new faces flew at Harry along with whispering remarks and points. Harry started to make his casual walk to 'Weasley's Wander Wheezes" more into a run. Just as he spotted out the shop a young boy, about the size Harry was stand in front of him. "Morning Harry! Oh boy- I have heard so much about you in the 'Daily Prophet' you don't mind me asking for an autograph would you?" The jet-black haired boy looked up at Harry with his beaming Jade eyes. Harry smiled down at the little boy and asked him for a paper. "Oh yes- of course!" the little boy pulled out a photograph of Harry from his pouch and handed it to him. "Name is Timothy, sir!"

"Please, do call me Harry."

"Harry." The boy pulled out a self-correct ink pen and placed it on the photograph Harry was holding in his right hand.

When Harry looked down ad the photograph of himself he didn't know what to think, he was pleased with the fact that someone would keep a picture of himself with them but whenever he it, it had felt like someone was kicking him in the stomache. He signed and handed back the boy the photograph and walked slowly to the joke shop as he was thinking how much that little boy reminded him of himself when he was that young. Well in a slight way, he knew for a fact he was never that rambunctious.

* * *

Draco walked down the road leading towards Gringotts and then took a side- track, straight into Knockturn Alley. He looked into several of the stores, including Borgin and Burkes and made a few purchases. After that, he returned to Diagon Alley and walked into Flourish and Blotts. He bought the books he need for the upcoming year but stopped, as he was about to exit the door. A flood of memories came to him. He remembered in his second year, how he had taunted Harry and how Harry had reacted. He wanted to laugh at that memory. But some of them were painful. He remembered his meeting with Harry on the train in his first year. He had hoped to become friends with Harry, but he already had his mud- blood- loving friend Ron. He tried to stop the memories from coming but they didn't. He dazedly walked out of Flourish and Blotts and sat at the curb, head in his hands. Was he going mad? The memories were coming faster now, they were flashing: his second year, with Harry standing under the chamber of secrets sign. Third year, hermione punching him and Harry standing behind her with a bewildered expression on his face. Fourth year, Harry being entered in the Triwizard Tournament and the look--the look--of almost fear on his face...fifth year---Draco finally balanced, his mind reeling. What was wrong with him? And then suddenly, he keeled over into a dead faint.

* * *

Harry glanced up at a sign that was written in golden sparkled lettering, "Weasley's Wizard Wheezes". He walked up to the shop and placed his hands on the clear glass window checking if anyone was there but he saw no one, only the shop. The shop was filled with a variety of colors from faded brown to bright magenta. The shelfs where stocked with loads of accessories but Harry was too far away from them to see any in detail. Harry just stood there looking into the window as he saw Fred spot him from the back of the shop. "Harry!" he could hear the muffled sounds of Fred through the glass, as Fred opened the door for Harry.  
"Do come in Harry." Fred pointed to the back of the shop, where he just was. "Ron and Hermione are back there testing out one of our newest products with George."

As Harry made his way toward the back of the shop he watched Fred walk away re-stocking the shelf's with some of his products he was carrying around in a 'Follow around' cart.

Hermione and Ron where indeed testing some products, one of them being "Weather Bubbles'. Hermione gracefully blew a bubble as it soon popped filling the room with snow.

"Amazing – But err – What would happen if you got a lightning one?" Ron's voice facial expression had gone immediately from amused to terrified.

"Oh Ron, I'm quite sure there are none of those" said Hermione soothingly.

Ron took one of the sticks in the packet and tried to blow – hard.

"Why – doesn't – this – ruddy – thing – work!" Ron exclaimed.

"Ron!" Hermione said raising her voice a bit, "you blow like this …" she said, demonstrating.

"Ohhhh … " said the red-haired Weasley now blowing a bubble that emired a bright light with a rainbow.

"Hey" said Harry breaking up the conversation. Both Hermione and Ron blushed, starting an awkward silence between the three.

"So – err – George! Care to show Ron, Hermione and I around?" breaking the silence George was pleased to show everyone around. He came toward a dispenser of powder near the front desk. The dispenser held several colors of powder light blue, white and yellow.

"What does this do?" Ron questioned as he rushed his hand toward the handle of the dispenser

"Ron – don't!" Fred grabbed his brother's hand away and pushed him to the side.

"What in the bloody hell is your problem – "

"So sorry Ron, didn't want you to cloud the room." Fred said casually as if clouding a room was something everyone knew of.

Harry stepped closer to Fred who was standing next to the front desk. "Cloud the room?"

"Ah – yes I was getting to that"

"These are one of our top selling products." Just as Fred was about to explain what the product did George interrupted. "Showing them the cloud dust eh?"

"Well I was getting to it George." Fred's tone of voice had run a bit cold. Obviously the business had gotten to their head.

"No need to Fred, I've got it under control…"

"Sure you do George, Just like you helped mum with her luggage" Fred sarcastically said, air quoting the last few words. The remark seemed to be personal and no one spoke, not even George he just acted as if Fred said nothing and continued to explain what the product did.

"Anyways. " George started sneering over a Fred who just rolled his eyes and leaned against the desk-counter. "Well we recently just started to sell this product, and already we are lowing run on stock – "

"Yeah, yeah George just gets to what it does." Fred stated impatiently.

George has Fred a little snort as he pointed toward the dispenser. "You see these are filled with a thing Fred and I would like to call 'Cloud Dust' " both the freckled twins spoke the last word.

"Cloud Dust is simply a fog substance that makes the setting around the user of it unable to see." George had finished speaking as Fred insisted that everyone should take a sample.

Harry reached out for a tube on the side of the dispenser and filled it with the 'white' cloud dust and placed it in his robe pocket. Just as he did that a parchment fell from his robe onto the floor. As he opened it he had read it was the list of what he still needed for his return to Hogwarts. "Hermione, Ron … I still need to go to Flourish and Bott's for my books."

Ron managed to make a disappointed look, as Hermione gave an understandable one. "Go ahead Harry, Ron and I will meet you at the Hogwarts Express, or do you want us to come with you?"

"Its ok Hermione, I think I'm just going to grab them quickly and meet up with you there".

Hermione wrapped her hands around Harry for a hug and Ron folded his hands into his pockets and said goodbye to him.

Harry made a slight run toward Flourish and Bott's trying to avoid strangers stopping to talk to him like his last time getting around Diagon Alley. He was just about to enter the store as he spotted out a familiar face, was it really… Draco?

* * *

Draco was in empty space. Empty, empty space. Multicolored bubble popped in his consciousness and suddenly-- Harry was shaking him. "Draco!" he yelled, "Draco!" he finally calmed down, after seeing the large crowd that was starting to gather, got closer to Malfoy, and murmured, "Are you alright? What happened?" Harry looked seriously concerned. Malfoy got up and brushed the dirt off of his fine robes. He turned pink. "I--I--I don't know what happened, I felt kind of dizzy as I got out of the store so I sat down on the curb and then-- then I don't know..." he trailed off embarrassed and confused. Harry helped him up and they started to walk back towards the Leaky Cauldron. "Why are we going back?" Draco questioned him. "You're going back, you need rest." Harry said. "I still have to buy my books though." Draco shook his head. "I'm fine," he said "I just don't know what got into me..." Harry sighed and they both turned around and walked back to Flourish and Blotts. Five minutes later, they both emerged from the store, with Harry clutching a small stack of books. They then set off to Madam Milikan's.

While walking there Draco had taken notice of how stiff Harry was while walking, trying to get him to loosen up Draco slightly bumped himself into Harry's right arm. Draco wanted to say something after that but the touch of Harry's warmth completely flushed him, it was a sort of dizzy feeling. "You ok Draco?" The concern on Harry's face reassured him that Harry really was by his side helping him – Draco Malfoy. "I'm Fine".

Harry and Draco stepped into the store and Madam Milikan immediately took them for fitting. While she was off looking for cloth in the storeroom, Harry suddenly chuckled. "Remember--" he said, "Remember when we first met?" He was now laughing. Draco joined in, "Yea, and I asked you if you were a wizard...haha...stupid question really but...haha" Madam Milikan finally came back and they got control of themselves. After they were finished and had paid for their robes, they exited the store, laughing raucously as they stepped out of the store.

Time had flew by and Draco and Harry had walked back to the Leaky Cauldron carrying several bag of accessories they had bought along the way. They rushed up the stairs to room 16-- packing up their bags to take their leave to the Hogwarts Express. "Seen my black robes Draco?"

"Right here" Draco tossed a couple of black robes toward Harry as he packed them away. "All set, just need to go get some floo powder from Tom"

As Draco watched Harry jolt out of the door he sat on a red-fabricated chair in front of the fireplace just thinking of how he had wasted his years at Hogwarts in the past fighting with Harry when he could have became good friends with him – maybe more. "More?" His thoughts were spoken outloud, no one listening to him. The thought left an awkward feeling as Harry flew in through the door smiling at Draco as his beaming jaded eyes filled Draco with warmth. "Ready to go?" with a quick Reply Draco added "Ready when you are." As Draco stood up Harry had grabbed his luggage as he moved past him toward the fireplace, slipping half of the floo powder in his hand into Draco's robe pocket. "Hogwarts Express" as Harry vanished; Draco took a last look at the room and glanced at the room key on the bed. Room 16 – He slid the key into his robe pocket and carried his belongings into the fireplace with him. The floo powder fell from Draco's hand as a bomb of smoke vanished him from the room.


End file.
